Hoof Abscesses
By Hannah Dyball
Many horses are affected by hoof abscesses but what exactly are they? Put simply, a hoof abscess is a localised bacterial infection confined to the delicate structures of the hoof. Facing infection, the body produces purulent fluid (pus) to try and isolate and control the infection. Pus consists of dead white blood cells that have been assembled by the immune system to ward of the bacteria.